Power shovel



June 1945- J. c. JOHNSON ET AL 7,7

POWER SHOVEL Filed fiec. 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 V /IO l l9 l8 7 L'IIII'I. I3

Inventor JOHN C. JOHNSON WILL/AM R. M/LNER June J- c. J HNSON jET AL POWER SHOVEL Filed Dec. 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor JOHN C. JOHNON WILL/AM R. M/LNER By mm Patented June 1945 POIWER SHOVEL John C. Johnson, Boswell, Ind., and William R. Milner, Burlingame, Calif.

Application December 16, 1944, Serial No. 568,484

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a power shovel, and

more particularly to such a shovel adapted to be en'ergizedby a truck or similar vehicle.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved power shovel, adapted to be attached to the rear end of a truck or the like, and provided with integral means wherebythe same may be utilized to first scoop out a shovel of earth or the like, and second to dump the same into the body of the vehicle, the power being supplied by the movement of the vehicle.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of such a device which will be sturdy and durable in'construction, reliable and efficient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein there are shown two preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of device embodying the instant inventive concept.

Figure 2 is a side view partially in section and partially in elevation of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top View partially in elevation and partially in section, disclosing a modified form of this inventive concept, and

Figure 4 is a side view partially in section and partially in elevation disclosing the device shown in Figure 3 in association with a truck, a fragment of which is disclosed.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure l, the device of the instant invention is comprised of a frame generally indicated at IU, including two extending arms II having a shovel blade I2 at their extremities, and their opposite extremities being provided with apertures adapted to surround an axle I3 for pivotal movement thereabout.

. The axle I3 has secured thereto, exteriorly of the members I I on opposite sides a pair of ratchet members I4 and I5, and carries exteriorly of the ratchet members wheels I6. A bracket Il pivotally secured to the axle I3 between the members II terminates in a sleeve I8, within which is a draw bar 19, terminating in an eye 20 and secured in position as by a cotter pin 2| passedv through suitable apertures in the sleeve I8 and the bar I9, the eye 20 being adapted to attachment to a suitable towing vehicle such as a truck.

Each of the members I I is provided, with a transversely extending portion 22 to the opposite sides of which are pivotally secured, as by pivots 23 and 24, upper and lower pawls 25 and 26, one of which, 25, is positioned for engagement with the associated ratchet I5 and the other of which, 26, is curved and positioned for engagement with the ratchet I4.

From the foregoing the operation of the device should now be readily understandable.

When the parts are in the position as disclosed in Figure 2, and the truck is backed up, the shovel I2 scoops up earth or the like, against which it is impelled.

After the shovel has been filled, the truck is moved forwardly, and the pawl 25 engaging the fixed ratchet gear I5, lifts the arms II and the associated shovel I2 and rotates the same about the axle I3, until the contents of the shovel are dumped into the truck body, at a point substantially above the draw bar' Iii.-

Upon reverse motion of the truck as the same I is backed up, gravity causes the shovel member to fall into such position that the ratchet I4 is engaged by the pawl 26, and the shovel is carried rearwardly until such time as it is permitted to fall by gravity into the position shown in Figure 2, whereupon the pawl 26 falls free and the device is in position for continued operation.

Figures 3. and 4 disclose a modified form of shovel adapted to be operated by hydraulic power. In this modification frame members 30 terminate in a shovel blade 3|, and are pivotally secured on an axle 32, provided with a hydraulic brake drum 33 and adapted to support for rotation wheels 34. A second frame 35 extends forwardly of the axle 32, and terminates in a sleeve 36, within which is slidably positioned a draw bar 31. The draw bar 31 terminates in an eye 38 adapted to be associated in any desired manner with a truck body 39. The inner extremity of the draw bar 31 has secured thereto a spring 40 the opposite end of which is secured to a suitable hydraulic valve mechanism 4I. Feed lines 42 run from the hydraulic mechanism to the hydraulic brake drums 33, and a suitable feed line (not shown) provides hydraulic fluid from any suitable source.

The extremities of the frame members 30 beyond the axle 32 are ofiset at a downwardly depending angle as indicated at 45, and their extremities are connected by a transverse bar 46. A relatively heavy counterweight 41 is freely swingable about axle 32, and is secured thereto as by an arm 48 terminating in a journal 49.

A release switch 50 is provided on the upper portion of the hydraulic valve mechanism 4|, and adapted to be actuated by abutment with the frames 30, in a manner and for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter.

From the foregoing the operation of the device should now be readily understandable. When the device is in the position shown in full lines in Figure 4, and the truck 39 backs up, the shovel or scoop 3| is adapted to be filled with earth or the like.

As the truck is reversed and moved forwardly the hydraulic valve 4| is actuated by means of the spring 40, a pin 5| serving to take up the strain between the draw bar 31 and the sleeve 36, to lock by means of a hydraulic fluid the brake drums 33, in such manner as to secure the frames 30 to the axle 32 for rotation thereabout. Continued forward motion of the truck thus rotates the shovel 3| to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, whereupon the contents of the shovel are dumped into the truck body. As the shovel reaches the maximum position as shown in dotted lines it abuts the release mechanism 50, which actuates the hydraulic mechanism to release the brakes. During the forward motion of the device the cross bar 46 engages thecounter- Weight 41 and rotates the same to the position disclosed in dotted lines in Figure 4. Upon release of the hydraulic mechanism the counterweight 41 is sufficiently heavy to act reversely against the bar 46 and rotates the shovel about the axle 32 until the same is in a position to drop by gravity to the ground as disclosed in Figure 4 in full lines.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved power shovel accomplishing all the objects of this invention and others including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described,- it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a power shovel in combination, an axle, a frame pivotally secured to said axle, a shovel blade at the extremity of said frame, Wheels carried by said axle, means secured to said axle for connecting said shovel to a towing vehicle, means for securing said frame to said axle for rotation therewith upon forward movement of the vehicle, said last-mentioned means including ratchet means secured to said axle, and pawl means secured to said frame, and means for returning said shovel to digging position upon reverse motion of said vehicle, said means including second ratchet means secured to said axle and second pawl means secured to said frame.

2. In a power shovel in combination, an axle, a frame pivotally secured to said axle, a shovel .blade at the extremity of said frame, wheels carried by said axle, means secured to said axle for connecting said shovel to a towing vehicle, means for securing said frame to said axle for rotation therewith upon forward movement of the vehicle, said means including a hydraulic brake drum adapted to lock said frame to said axle through said connecting means, when said vehicle moves forwardly, means for releasing said lock when ,said shovel is rotated to a predetermined position,

and counterweight means for returning said shovel to digging position when said lock is released.

JOHN C. JOHNSON. WILLIAM R. MILNER. 

